Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations

Walgreens, Rite Aid To Stop Selling Tobacco To Those Under 21 As Part Of National Trend Toward Higher Smoking Age

The decision comes after the FDA says Walgreens had “racked up almost 1,800 violations” related to the sale of tobacco products to minors. Currently, about a dozen states have raised the tobacco buying age to 21, and even Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), who has been a loyal ally to the tobacco industry, is considering legislation that would raise the smoking age.

The New York Times:
Walgreens Raises Tobacco-Buying Age To 21, Strengthening A Consensus
The drugstore chain Walgreens will stop selling tobacco products to customers under 21, the company announced on Tuesday. The decision came weeks after the Food and Drug Administration accused the company of repeatedly selling tobacco products to minors — and amid similar moves by competitors and lawmakers around the country to curb teenage vaping. (Zraick and Rueb, 4/23)

The Wall Street Journal:
Walgreens, Rite Aid To Raise Tobacco Buying Age To 21 And Older
The new chainwide policy for Walgreens will start Sept. 1, the company said Tuesday. Walgreens’s move is its most recent step in its effort to further prevent youth access to tobacco products, including a policy implemented last October that requires verification regardless of age, the company said. “We’ve seen positive results from other recent efforts to strengthen our policies related to tobacco sales, and believe this next step can be even more impactful to reduce its use among teens and young adults,” Richard Ashworth, Walgreens president of operations, said in a statement. (Al-Muslim, 4/23)

The Hill:
Rite Aid To Raise Tobacco Buying Age To 21
The moves come as more states debate raising the minimum purchasing age to 21. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said last week he would introduce legislation to raise the age nationwide. The Food and Drug Administration says the U.S. is facing a youth vaping epidemic, with 3.5 million middle and high school students smoking e-cigarettes in 2018. (Hellmann, 4/23)

Politico:
Beer And Cigarette Makers Join The Pot Lobbying Parade
The push to legalize marijuana quickly transformed the cannabis industry into a multibillion dollar legal business. And now Fortune 500 companies and elite K Street lobbying firms have joined the green gold rush. Altria, the tobacco giant better known for Marlboros, recently took a $1.8 billion stake in the cannabis company Cronos Group. Constellation Brands, which makes Corona beer, has spent money on cannabis lobbying after making a major investment in Canopy Growth, a Canadian marijuana company. (Demko, 4/23)

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